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• Road Safety Lawn Sign Program
• Community Pace Car Program

Community-based traffic calming initiatives are tools and programs that residents can implement with support from the City. This approach reflects the desire by some residents, community groups, and other stakeholders to address concerns in areas where City-led interventions are not yet planned or committed.

Find out more about existing community-based initiatives:

• Road Safety Lawn Sign Program provides interested residents with lawn signs that encourage motorists to slow down in their neighbourhood.
• Community Pace Car Program provides interested motorists with a vehicle decal to promote safe driving and encourages others to slow down throughout the city.

Road Safety Lawn Sign Program

Encourage safe driving on your street by picking up a “Slow Down” lawn sign. The signs provide a visual cue reminding drivers to check their speed and slow down while driving in residential neighbourhoods and always be on the lookout for other road users.

Signs are designed by the City and are free for residents. They are produced as part of the City’s Traffic Calming program, which strives to improve neighbourhood road safety.

How it works

Pick up your sign at one of the locations listed below during regular business hours. Signs are available free of charge on a first come, first served basis, with a limit of one sign per household.

• Artillery Park Aquatic Centre / 328 Bagot Street. 
• City Hall / 216 Ontario Street (The City's Payment Centre).
• INVISTA Centre / 1350 Gardiners Road.
• Kingston East Community Centre / 779 Highway 15.
• Rideau Heights Community Centre / 85 MacCauley Street.

Guidelines for placing your lawn sign

Correct placement of signs

• On public property (between the edge of the roadway and your property line).
• At least 0.6 metres (2 feet) from the curb or roadway edge.
• Inserted into the ground using the provided wire frame only.
• As supplied and without further illumination or the use of reflective tape.

Improper placement of signs

• Obstructing the roadway, a cycling lane, a sidewalk, or a pathway.
• Obstructing sight lines for pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists.
• Within 3 metres of a fire hydrant.
• On a roadway median or island.
• By an expressway or an expressway ramp.
• In a drainage ditch.
• Anywhere that blocks access to, or operation of, culverts, bridges, and overpasses.
• On a building, structure, post, pole, tree, or bush.

While the signs can be used year-round, we recommend keeping your lawn sign in place from the beginning of April until the end of November. This timeframe maximizes visibility and minimizes weather impact, increasing the lifespan of the lawn sign.

Over time, lawn signs can degrade, dislodge, or otherwise fall into a state of disrepair. Please ensure your lawn sign is placed correctly, properly maintained, and stored safely when not in use.

Lawn signs that are unsafe or require relocation for any reason may be removed or relocated at any time by City staff.

Community Pace Car Program

Are you concerned about the speed of motorists in your neighbourhood? Do you strive to set an example as a safe, law-abiding driver? You can help take the lead in your community and spread awareness of safe and responsible driving by joining our Pace Car Program.

How it works

Interested drivers in Kingston can participate and receive a rear window decal or trunk magnet (limit one per vehicle) with installation instructions at one of the locations below during regular business hours:

• Artillery Park Aquatic Centre / 328 Bagot Street.
• City Hall / 216 Ontario Street (The City's Payment Centre).
• INVISTA Centre / 1350 Gardiners Road.
• Kingston East Community Centre / 779 Highway 15.
• Rideau Heights Community Centre / 85 MacCauley Street.

By joining the City’s Pace Car program, you can help to encourage safer driving throughout the City. Displaying the Community Pace Car logo indicates your commitment to drive at or below the speed limit, follow the rules of the road and to be courteous and cautious around pedestrians and cyclists.

The Community Pace Car Pledge

By joining the Community Pace Car program, participants commit to:

• Always remain aware of and drive at or below the speed limit.
• Slow down and drive with extra caution near schools and in areas where children are often present, such as playgrounds, parks and on residential streets.
• Always be aware of and yield to pedestrians crossing the street.
• Come to a complete stop at stop signs, then look carefully before proceeding.
• Be courteous to cyclists and other road users.
• Keep a safe distance between cyclists and other vehicles on the road.
• Not block walkways, bike lanes, pathways, or driveways when parking.
• Display the Pace Car logo on my vehicle to encourage others to drive courteously and at safe speeds throughout Kingston.

Guidelines for applying your Community Pace Car graphic

There are two options for displaying the Community Pace Car logo on your vehicle - on your rear window using the vinyl option, or on the rear panel/trunk of your vehicle using the magnet option.

Vinyl Option

Choose the vinyl option if you prefer to display the Community Pace Car logo on the rear window of your vehicle. For best results.

• Clean the window prior to applying the vinyl decal.
• Choose a location that does not impact driver sightlines.
• Avoid a location that will come into contact with the window wipers.
• To remove the decal, gently apply heat to the vinyl (e.g. using a hair dryer) to loosen the adhesive.

Magnet Option

Choose the magnet option if you prefer to display the Community Pace Car logo on the rear panel or trunk of your vehicle. Place the magnet in a location visible from the rear, ensuring that the vehicle license plate is not obstructed. Note that some vehicle components, including many rear vehicle bumpers, do not contain magnetic materials and the magnet will not adhere to these surfaces.